Page 71 of Her Last Whisper

“Great, more paperwork,” he said with a low tone.

“No, here’s all the information for the housing project—architectural drawings—anda list of residents before they were given notices to vacate.” She began sorting through the papers, separating them into piles. “I love this guy.”

“Who?”

“Oh, this researcher, Shane, at the county. He knows how to find anything.”

“Sounds like you’re smitten with him.”

“It’s not like that… I think he will be very helpful in future investigations.” Katie took her attention away from the new paperwork and asked McGaven, “First impression—what do you think of the notes—friend, killer, or someone else.”

“My first thought, honestly, it’s someone who’s trying to help us but doesn’t want their identity known—maybe they have a record or maybe they are related to the killer.”

Katie thought about that and said, “Maybe someone who has a reputation or a job to lose?”

“Like a doctor? Someone like Dr. Jamison?” he said.

“It would make some sense, Amanda’s supervisor. Maybe she was having an affair with him?” Katie speculated. “But we’re talking about two different things—the notes and the killer.”

“I bet the doc has a high-end vehicle and likes expensive dinners.”

“I bet most doctors at the hospital would fit that description too.” Katie thought that Dr. Jamison had some information they needed, but he was most likely not the killer. “The hours they keep. How would he have the time to hold someone hostage, plan out the ambush, and dispose of the body?”

“More questions than answers,” he said. “Should we bring in Dr. Jamison to find out? We can also ask him about his dad and the original Basin Woods Project.”

Katie reread her preliminary profile of the killer. “I’ve called the hospital, Dr. Jamison’s voicemail, his personal cell phone, and left messages. Nothing. He’s busy, I’ll give him that. The hospital told me that he’s working back-to-back surgeries—but they also told me that he promised to call me back, but hasn’t made any attempt.”

“Do we bring him in or go to the hospital?”

“No.”

“No?” he said surprised.

“No. I want to go on a little field trip first before we bring him in,” she said. “I don’t want to spook him if he’s hiding more than infidelities, or anything else for that matter. Once we bring him in then he’ll be prepared and there’s a chance he’ll request a lawyer. I want to see him in his comfort zone first. Find out what makes him tick.”

“Great, another field trip,” he said disappointed.

“What?” she asked.

“You get all the fun.”

“Don’t worry. You’re coming too.” She smiled. The more she thought about it, the more she thought it might shed some light on things. It was a little unorthodox for a criminal investigation, but she wasn’t breaking any rules or doing anything compromising to the case. “Hope you’re ready for this…”

McGaven gave her a silly thumbs up sign. “I’m ready.”

Forty-One

Thursday 0945 hours

The room was quiet—unnerving and frightening. Just waiting. Tess thought that she heard breathing coming from the corner to her right. Straining to hear, she was sure she could detect a soft inhale and exhale. Slow and long.

“I can’t keep you anymore,” he finally whispered in a low forced tone.

Tess startled. He usually leaned on the mattress before he spoke. Even if it was mere seconds, she knew his voice was coming. But this time, there was nothing. Just his disturbing whisper in her ear, as if coming from inside her own head.

Leaning in close, the man’s sour breath wet her face. “I’m not getting what Ineed, Tess. Tell me the truth…”

Forty-Two